Needle holder



Sept. 22, 1953 R. CASTROVIEJO 2,652,832

NEEDLE HOLDER 1 Filed Dec. 27, 1950 7 I IQRDGMOI attorney Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UN ITED QEF ICE;

NEEDLE HOLDERIF.

Bamon'IC'astroviejo, NeimYork',' N; Yil.

pplibationflecember. 27, 1950," S'eriallNii'. 20219.85

2 'Claimsz (Cl. 1'28 340' By theinvention herein disclosed;thereisprovided a needle holder that may -orniay not' belocked'in needle-holding 'pesition and thlls' provides the advantages of having --'a locked, needle" holder -or- -anunlocke'd," needle holder as the particular'surgeon and particular manipulation re quires. In" addition; the -invention provides a needle holder which upon a certain pressure firmly grasps, without locking a" needle-- or a suture; upon further'pressure locks "on the needle or "suture, andupon additional pressure releases the needle or suture. The instrument maybe rotated'in' the fingers or'comfortabl'y "heldinthe hand of" thesurgeon, either as aypencilifor finger manipulation) was a fork" (for wristmanipulation) In accordance with the-inventiongthere'is pro vided'an instrument of thekind mentioned-which includes substantially rigid; pivoted;'needle-hold-'- ingjaws. Actuating extensions extend from the jaws on the opposite side of the pivot. The actuating'. extensions are biased. towardwtheeopen position of the jaws, and a latch is'provided for latching the extensions in the closedposition of the jaws; The latch is arranged such that the jaws may 'b'e closed without theengagementof the latch. Thus, theneedle holder may be manipulated with or without latching the jaws in. theneedle-holding position:

A" needle "holder" constituting "one embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the accompanying drawings and described in detail below, from which description a clearer understanding of the invention may be had.

The drawings include:

Fig. 1 which is an isometric view of the needle holder with the jaws in open or released position;

Fig. 2 which is an enlarged isometric view of the jaws showing the knurling on the needle-enging surface;

Fig. 3l'which is an isometric view similar to:Fl'g.' 1 showingthe jaws'closed'in needle-gripping po-v sitiontbu-t without the latch being engaged;

Fig. 4 which is a side elevation of the same with the jaws latched'in needle-grippin position; and

Figs. 5, 6,7 and 8 which are fragmentary, isometric views sh'owingthe latchingelements, respectively; inthe separated position, in contact, in latching relation, and released.

Theneedle holder illustrated in the drawings primarily includes a pair ofv opposed needle-grippingjaws l and 2, pivotallysecured togetherby a pivot 3, and actuating extensions 4 and 5 that are manipulated by the fingers to close and open the jaws. The needle-gripping jaws aresubstantially rigid, relatively narrow, have a smooth outer surface, and are tapered toward the free end thereof, Desirably, the gripping surfaces of the jaws are knurled as indicated at fi-in Fig. 2.

The actuatingextensions 4 and 5 are identical, the actuating extension '4 being. formed. integral with the needle-gripping jaw I and the extension 5 beingiiormed. integral with the jaw 2. These extensions extend from the jaws on the opposite side of 'the pivot-so that when'they are moved toward each. other the. jaws are closed. The actuatingextension 4 gradually. widens from the pivot point toiprovide arelatively wide, flat sections! that maydesirablnbe serrated as indicated; Fromthe section 1, there extendsa thin, resilient, curved, spr-ing,;section 8. In.like.man ner,i.the actuating extension provided with a flatsection .il-and .a. thin, curved, spring section Ill. The springsections 8 and BB are bent toward each otherand united'at their ends by a rivet IL. These spring sections, thus united, form, in efict, a .bow spring which biases the. actuating extensions'to theseparated position in which the jaws! and .2 are spaced apart. The flat, serratedsections l and 9 of the actuating extensions areprovided'scthatthe instrument may be convenientlyheld and manipulated by the surgeon.

Between thea'ctuating extensions, there is*a latch'tha't may be used to latch the-needle holder in needle=gripping position. The *latch includes two cooperating, latching elements 12 and I3 secured respectively to the inner surfaces of the actuating extensions 4 and 5. The latching element I3 is desirably constructed from a single piece of metal and includes a section [4 that is secured to the actuating element 5, a resilient section l5 extending longitudinally of the actuating element, and a lateral latching section l6, extending toward the actuating element 4. Arranged to cooperate with the latching section [6 of the latching element I3 is the latching element I2 which consists of a rigid post l1 extending perpendicular to the inner surface of the actuating extension 4 and an integral, laterally extending lug or detent I8.

The latching section it of the element IS includes an end section l9 extending longitudinally of the actuating member and having a detent-receiving groove 20 therein. The lower Wall of the groove 26 is slightly hook-shaped, extending toward and inclined to the plane of the actuating extension 5, and the outer surface is curved. Cam shaped surfaces are provided on opposite sides of the lug or detent E8 of the latching element [2. In end elevation, the lug 18 appears elliptical, with the major axis thereof inclined toward the plane of the actuating extension 4. The relation of the latching elements is shown in Figs. 5, 6, '7 and 8. In Fig. 5, the latching elements are shown separated; Fig. 6 shows the elements in contact. As the actuating elements are moved close together, the engaging surface of the lug l8 acts as a cam and moves the latching section 16 of the latching element H3 laterally, against the action of the spring section 45. As the edge of the lug iii reaches the opening to the groove 22, the spring or resilient section l of the latching element M returns the latching section it so that (Fig. 7) the lug l8 enters the groove and the actuating extensions are locked with the jaws in closed, or needle-gripping, position.

To release the latch, the actuating extensions are further pressed toward each other. When this is done, the surface of the lug Iii, again acting as a cam and engaging the inner surface of the wall of the groove, again moves the section of the latching element it against the action of the resilient section. As the edge of the lug 18 passes the section IS, the section is returned so that the lug extends over the edge of the section 16 (Fig. 8). When in this position, pressure on the actuating extensions is released and the lug passes the section Us on the side opposite the opening to the groove 20.

The latching elements are so arranged in relation to each other that the jaws I and 2 are brought firmly in contact (Fig. 3) before the latch becomes effective. This condition, in the instruments produced, is effected upon slight pressure on the actuating extensions. In this position, the needle holder should hold well an 8-0 silk, thus permitting tying sutures without having to lock the holder. The resiliency of the actuating extensions permits further movement thereof to bring the latch into effect, and to release the latch as above described.

From the foregoing description of the embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art of intraocular operations that by this invention there is provided a needle holder that may be used with or without the jaws locked in needle-gripping position; that is simple in construction and reliable in use; that is a streamlined, i. c. has no protruding parts on which sutures may be caught; that is narrow enough so that it may be rotated in the fingers .4 and yet of proper size so that it may be comfortably held in the hand and rotated from the wrist; and that eliminates tension on the fingers and hands during manipulation.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made by those skilled in the art in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings and described above within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

l. A needle holder of the kind described comprising in combination a pair of opposed, pivoted, needle-gripping jaws, resilient actuating exten sions extending from the jaws on the opposite side of the pivot, united at their ends and biased toward the open position of the jaws, a latch between the actuating extensions for latching the extensions in the closed position of the jaws including a latching element secured to one of said actuating extensions and having a slot therein, another latching element secured to the other of said actuating extensions and having a lateral projection thereon with opposite cam faces, one of said elements being resiliently mounted and biased toward latching position, and said elements being positioned such that the jaws are closed before the latch becomes effective.

2. A surgical needle holder of the kind described comprising in combination a pair of opposed, pivoted, needle-gripping jaws, an actuating extension extending from each of the jaws on the opposite side of the pivot, resilient sections extending from the actuating extensions and biasing the jaws away from each other, and a latch between the actuating extensions for latching the jaws in contact, the latch including a latching element secured to one of said actuating extensions and having a slot therein and another latching element secured to the other of said actuating extensions and having a projection thereon engageable in the slot in said first mentioned latching element and opposite cam faces, whereby upon movement of the actuating extensions in a direction to bring the needlegripping jaws together the projection thereon is positioned to enter the slot in said first mentioned latching element and upon further movement thereof in the same direction the projection thereon is released from the slot and engages the opposite side of the first mentioned latching element so as to be released upon release of the pressure on the actuating extensions.

RAMON CASTROVIEJO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 662,178 Truax Nov. 20, 1900 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 242,254 Germany Jan. 3, 1912 

